Pre-Columbian art refers to the art created by native peoples in the Americas before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and other European settlers in the early 16th century. The objects intact today represent only a fraction of the art that once existed, as only the most durable materials such as ceramics, shell, metal and stone have survived. Pre-Columbian art is often defined by the archaeological sites where they were found, modern states where their cultures once existed, or artistic style.